President Trump unloaded on CNN’s Jim Acosta for asking a “snarky question” during Monday’s coronavirus briefing, which is why he said no one watches his network anymore.
Acosta’s questioned centered on Trump’s rhetoric about COVID-19 ahead of the national crisis, which he said appeared to downplay the threat.
Quoting Trump, Acosta said, “‘We have it very much under control in this country. The coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. It's going to disappear. It's like a miracle. It will disappear.’ March 4, ‘We have a very small number of people in this country infected.’ March 10, ‘We prepared, we are doing a great job with it. It will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.’ What do you say to Americans—”
“Well, isn't it true? It will go away,” Trump interjected.
“Who believe that you got this wrong,” Acosta said, finishing his question.
“If you look at those individual statements, they are all true. Stay calm. It will go away. You know it--you know it is going away and it will go away and we're going to have a great victory,” Trump said. “And it's people like you and CNN that say things like that that is why people just don't want to listen to CNN anymore. You could ask a normal question. The statements I made are--I want to keep the country calm. I don't want panic in the country. I could cause panic much better than even you. I could do much--I would make you look like a minor league player but you know what I don't want to do that. I want to have our country be calm and strong and fight and win and it will go away."
Trump praised the work his task force and all the private sector companies are doing that have come together in the fight against the invisible enemy.
"Instead of asking a nasty, snarky question like that you should ask a real question and other than that I am going to go to somebody else," Trump said.
President Trump to @Acosta:
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 30, 2020
“And it’s people like you and CNN that say things like that.. it’s why people just don’t want to listen to CNN anymore.”
pic.twitter.com/ePKgkvn4cB
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